Bangkok, Nov 17, IRNA -- The Asia and Pacific Conference on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment officially commenced on November 17 in Bangkok, urging all sectors to uphold the Beijing Declaration.Delegates from the Asian and Pacific region including Iran attended the conference regarding gender equality and womens rights at the United Nations Conference Center in the Thai capital.
Three conferences were held at the same time, namely the UNESCAP Beijing Plus 20 Review, Asian and Pacific Conference on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment, the ASEAN Confederation of Women Organization (ACWO) Board Meeting, and the Asia-Pacific Regional Conference (ARPC) on Assuring Sustainable Development Goals: Challenges in Transforming Women and Girls in Asia and the Pacific
According to Iran Daily Thailand's Minister of Social Development and Human Security Pol Gen Adul Saengsingkaew addressed delegates in the opening ceremony, saying his country always upholds the promise to promote gender equality and womens empowerment.
He said the government has set up a One Stop Crisis Center (OSCC) to provide assistance to women and children victimized by human trafficking and domestic violence.
The Thai minister as saying that Thailand is ready to help propel forward the Beijing Declaration for Action in Asia and the Pacific.
The Director of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) Nanda Krairiksh said Thailand is on the right track in providing help to women and children. Therefore, Thailand will play a major role in the conference, helping to sustain progress to reach the stated goal.
Iran statement
Farzaneh Abdolmaleki, Foreign Ministry's deputy director of international women affairs, said Iran regards promotion of girls and women as a key element in policymaking, legislation, and national planning.
The Iranian government has continuously endeavored to mainstream women's issues in the national development framework, she added.
"According to UNESCO's 2012 Education for All Global Monitoring Report, Iran is among the world's six most successful countries in educational gender parity. Women's literacy rate in 2009-2010 period increased from 97.1 to 97.7 percent."
Abdolmaleki said the mechanisms for the advancement of women's rights have been established in Iran, referring to promotion of the status of Center for Women and Family from an advisory body to Vice-President Office and also increase in the number of female members in city and rural councils to 6,093 in 2013.
Despite all efforts, women and girls worldwide are increasingly and disproportionately subject to emerging challenges including economic crises, food insecurity, climate change, poverty, armed conflict and foreign occupation, unilateral sanctions, violent extremism and terrorism, continued the official.
Today, violent extremism presents one the greatest threats to the lives and rights of women and girls in the region, said Abdolmaleki, adding, "We believe terrorism, violence, and extremism will not be restricted to a particular area and this ominous phenomenon can only be eradicated through global interaction. The Iranian government strongly condemns the enslavement, torture, and sale of women and girls in general and of religious minorities in particular. The plights of women and girls, who have been kidnapped, forced into marriage, sold or even given away as spoils of war, should be recognized and the perpetrators brought to justice."
By IRNA
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